Paper Boats: Nomin

Chapter 6

Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,

When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.

J A E M I N 

My eyes widened as the woman floated towards me. I tried to get on my feet and run, but I could not. My mind was empty except for the immense agony I felt.

She landed on the grass and strode towards me. 

'Who?' I croaked out. 

'Pain,' she stated simply. 'Just Pain.'

She scanned me from head to toe with an expression of pure disgust. 'You know he'll kill you right?'

'I... I beg your pardon?'

'He has to. Sooner or Later.'

'J-Jeno?'

'Oh, he doesn't want to. You are too precious to him. So precious, in fact, that there is only one person on the planet more precious to him than you.'

My head spun, and nausea rose up in my chest. 

'His brother.' The woman chuckled venomously. 'I can't threaten him with his own life, so if I use his brother, he'll take care of you for me, won't he?'

'...Why do you want me dead?' 

'Why else. Your scumbag of a father. He took nearly half of my gang. He hurt my pride. Inexcusable. I need my revenge. I deserve it.'

'Then just... kill me now. Why wait for Jeno? Leave him out of this.'

She laughed again, more uproariously this time. 'Stupid child. If I kill you now, it simply shan't hurt as much. He gave me that idea. So when he kills you, It'll harden him as well as bring your father excruciating torment. There.' She flung a pebble into the stream. 'Two birds with one stone.'

The pain lifted off me as she prepared to leave. 'I'll leave you to... whatever you were doing. Sweet dreams.'

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I had thought long and hard about it. And I had arrived at a decision. Jeno wouldn't have a choice but to kill me. Not if he wanted his only family to live. The problem here was me. 

If I was gone, he would be okay again.

But he wouldn't do it, would he?

He wouldn't. 

'So I'll do it myself,' I said, to no one in particular. 'His troubles will vanish if I'm gone.'